Car-fender.



No. 869,183. PATENTEDv OCT. 22, 1907.

. E. G. JORDAN.

GARFBNDER. APPLIoATIoN FILED. MAR.4. 1907.

2 sums-SHEET 1.

frxl, www Ww" '/NVENTR ATTORNEY No. 869,183. PATBNTED 00T. z2. 19o?,

H. o. JORDAN.

CAR FENDER. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 4. 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES.' IN VE IVTR ATTORNEY me Nonms Pen-:Rs co., wAsHlNcraN. n. c

"UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY CLAY JORDAN, OF PORTLAND, OREGON, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OF ONE-FOURTH TO JOSEPH C. GRIFFITH, SEVEN-SIXTEENTHS TO JOHN WESLEY I-IURLEY, AND ONE-SIXTEENTH TO JAMES N. SUTTON, ALL

OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

CAR-FENDER.

Patented octfza, 19o?.

Application leri March 4. 1907- Serial No. 360,579.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY CLAY JORDAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Car-Fenders, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings as constituting a part thereof. i

My invention has for its object to provide' a car fender which shall be adapted to project some distance in front o f the bumper or dash-board of the car and ride normally over the road bed, so as not to have contact therewith or with projections of the rails, but adapted to dip down close to the road surface the instant the projecting o1' outer end of the fender strikes a person, and being further arranged so that the momentum of the car will then operate the fender to pick up the person struck and move him up into the basket-like part of the fender, and there safely hold him until the car can be brought to a standstill.

Figure l is a lperspective view of my fender, showing the same as attached to one of the ends of the carsill, the parts being broken away so as to avoid covering the other parts back ofthe same; Fig. 2 is a longitudiual section of a car-end provided with my fender; this ligure also showing in dotted outline the motion of the horizontal and vertical parts of my fender when operating to pick up a person; Fig. 3 is a'side elevation of a car-end provided with my fender; also showing the location of the side guards; and Figs. 4 and 5 are details of construction, which will be more fully explained'in the body of the specification.

To the inner sides, near the ends of the two longitudinal sills, a, a, of the car body are secured a pair of box-brackets b, b/, removably holding a air of cairier-arms, c, c. To the horizontal members c2`of the carrier-arms are affixed pendent tubular casings or guides d, made with slots d, respectively, in which are inserted the inner ends of the roar members f of the fender frame; such members f being pivoted to the forward extremity of the carrier-arms by a rod h. To prevent the carrier-arms c slipping out of the boxbrackets, b, b, I provide the same with pins c3, as shown in Figs. l and 2. Above and below the ends of the frame members f, in the tubular casings d, are provided coil-springs, i, so as to allow such ends ample play, at the same time holding the same norl mally in approximately horizontal position and free 'clear of the tracks, andother obstructions in the roadbed, but that it will dip down intovits active position upon having thrown thereon any given number of' pounds.

In the forward end of the frame members f are pro vided transversely extending rods c, c, to which are fastened a series of straps l, and to the latter are fastened interwoven bands m, the whole constituting a sort of a basket by which the object picked up by the fender is supported. 4 p

To the forward ends of the frame members f are pivoted by the rod la arms n, n, which are locked into projecting position by means of removable pins inf. Af-

fixed transversely between the front frame members n are a plurality of rods or' axles o, of, oL (see detail. Fig. 4). On each of the axles o, of, o2 is rotatably mounted a tubes q, the ends of which tubes are supported by ballbearings; see detail Fig. 5. The outer surface of the tubes q is covered with a resilient material q, such as rubber hose. On one end of each of the outer tubes q is affixed a ratchet wheel q2, engaged by a dog g3, whereby the tubes q are prevented from rotating otherwise than upward and inward of the fender frame. are prevented from lifting too high by means of retaining pins g4. The object of controlling the rotation of the rollers q as mentioned is to prevent the person struck getting under the fender, and also to. prevent the fender from passing over the person struck; In other words, each of the rollers q is adapted to revolve in one direction only, so that when my fender strikes a person, in front of a car, there would be no tendency of riding over him, but to the contrary said rollers having free rotation in the direction mentioned only, will have a tendency to pass under and pick up the person and roll him into the basket part of my fender; and for the two fold purpose of reducing the force of the blow struck by my fender upon the body picked up, and also to insure a friction surface which, in its contact with the clothes of a person will contribute to hold him on my fender, I encase the tubes q with woven fabric q/, which may consist of a woven material, or other material specially adapted to present a roughened surface, and hav ing some inherent resiliency.

Exterior of the sides of the front ends of the fenderframe there are mounted on the extremities of the axle o, wheels r, which wheels normally are positioned clear of the surface of the road and the car tracks 3 but as soon as my fender is thrown into its active state, by a body falling upon the same, it is immediately depressed, and then said wheels run on the surface, and support the projecting front end of the fender in such a manner as The dogs g3 l to bring the rollers q slightly above the upper surface might be in the way. To accomplish such folding, all i Withof the rails, so that they may rotate as described. out such provision, the front end of my fender, while i carrying a bodylpicked up, would drag over the car rails during the period the car continues to move forward. The front wheels r are made with conical exterior faces or convexed rims as shown in Fig. 5, so as to adapt the same to climb over a rail or other projections in the road surface. To prevent the person picked up by my fender being thrown against or struck by the car, I provide my fender with a vertically arranged lcushionframe S. The same is preferably made in two sections sf, s2. The lower-section has vertical end-members s, made with eyes at their lower ends by which they are hinged to the rod k; this section further comprises vertical members st, a top transverse member S5, and a series of Vertical bars s6. The lower section s/ of such cushion frame S removably supports the upper section s2, for which purpose the outer members s3 of the lowersection are made with eyes S7, in whielrare inserted the bolt-like members SS, the upper ends of which are riveted or otherwise fastened to the outer frame members of the upper section s2. Said upper section further comprises a plurality of vertical bars S9, and the upper ends su of all the vertical bars of such upper section are turned in, as shown, so as to be adapted to strike against the front of the car and break the force or' the blow sustained by a body falling against the cushion-frame. The turned-in ends s1 are connected with each other by a transverse bar s, to cause the upper section of the cushion-frame to move as a unit. The lower-ends of the sides of the cush ion-irameS are supported by springcontrolled telescoping rods t, the function of which is to normally hold the cushion-frame away from the bumper a`. Y

Upon a body being thrown against the cushion-frame S, the telescoping-rods t will allow such cushion-frame some backward-motion, but not enough to allow the same to strike against the bumper. In short, the rods t serve to break the impact, and as soon as the pressure against the cushion-frame has been relieved they will operate to restore the cushion-frame to its normal po- Sition.

To limit the outward movement of the upper end of the cushion-frame the turned-in ends thereof are connected with the car body by chains s. The ends of the chains S12 are removably fastened to a hook s provided on the upper part of the breast of the car.

As shown more particularly in Fig. 2, the telescoping-rods L consist of a rod L/, having longitudinal movement in a perforated lug it, rigidly aflixed to the framemember f, and holding a coil-spring t2. The lower end of such coil-spring bears against such lug n and the upper ends thereof against a washer t3, and the upper ends of the rod t are connected to the eyes at the bottom of the bolts ss. The movement of the springs if! is limited by nuts'i, and by the adjustment of the latter the relative position of the cushion-frame, with respect to the car-end, may be controlled, as desired.

The projecting lower, or horizontal portion of the fender-frame is adapted to be folded, as presently will be described, so as to make it more convenient to store a car, equipped with the device, in the car barn, and to be able to remove a part of the projecting frame-portion which, in the coupling of the two cars, end to end,

that is required is to remove the locking pins 'nf whereupon tb e forward members n of the fender-frame, can be folded back as shown by dotted outline in Fig, 3.

The cushion-frame S may be taken apart by disconnecting the chains s`l2 and removing the pins t connecting the telescoping-rods t with the lower-ends Of the bolt-rods ss; upon which the upper section of the cushion-frame may be lifted off, and the lower section s/ thereof dropped forward, as sl own in dotted outline in Fig. 3, thereby also facilitating the storing or coupling of cars provided with my fender.

It is to be noted that my perpendicular cush ion-frame S is so arranged as to provide ample room for the motorman to use the usual rod to move a switch. I also provide side-guards io, shown in Fig. 3, fastened to the carsills and so arranged as to prevent a body falling against the side of the forward end of the car getting under my fender and the car wheels. The side-guards w are made in two pieces curved in front to follow the rounding of the breast of the car, but leaving ample space between them to accommodate the described main parts of my fender. lt will also be noted that the horizontal projecting portion of my fender and the cushionframe S may be removed as a whole by disconnecting the telescoping rods t, withdrawing the rod h, disconnecting the chains s12 and disconnecting the springs 7' from the frame members f. Or if it is desired to remove the entire fender, andall of its connecting parts as a whole, by disconnecting the chains s and removing'the pins c3 from the ends of the carrier-arms, the latter may be pulled out of the box-brackets b, b, and by so doing my entire device is removed from the car,

The description of the manner of detaching my fender from a car also makes plain the convenient manner in which. the same may be attached to a car, and also that it in no wise interferes with any of the appliances such as sand boxes, draw bar, brake-rods, fuse connections, gongs and other attachments allixcd to the car ends.

l claim:

l. The combination with a car of carrier arms atlixed to the sills thereof, a fender frame pivotally supported by thc carrier-arms. said fender-frame being arranged to project forward oi' the car, a basket-like guard on said forward end, wheels on the front end of' the fender-frame. means, connected to the inner ends of the fender-frame, adapted to normally hold the forward end thereof clear of the road surface, vuntil a weight is thrown thereon, and means adapted to restrain the oscillation of the fender-frame on its axis.

2. The combination with a car of carrier-arms aiiixed to the sills thereof. hollow pendent guides on the ends o1 thc carrier-arms and made with vertical slots, a fender-'trame comprising longitudinal members pivotally supported by the carrier-arms, the rear ends oi said frame-members beingl inserted in said slots of the pendent guides, wheels on the front end of the fender-frame, a basket-like guard carried by the forward end of thc fender-frame, coil-springs in said pendent guides, above and below the inserted ends oi' said frame-members. whereby the vertical oscillation of the latter on their axis is restrained, and coil-springs connecting said inner ends of thc frame-members to tbe earrier-arms and arranged to normally hold the forward end of the fender-frame clear of the road surface.

'lhe combination with a car of carrier-arms aixed to the sills thereof. hollow pondent. guides on the rear ends of the carrier-arms and made with vertical slots, a fenderfranie comprisingl longitudinal members pivotally supported by the carrier-arms, the rear ends of said framemembers being inserted in said slots of the pendent guides,

and the forward end of the fender-frame projecting forward of the car, wheels on the front end of the fenderframo, a basket-like guard carried by said forward end, coil-springs in said pendent guides, above and below the inserted ends of said frame-members, whereby the vertical oscillation of the latter on their axis is restrained, and coil-springs connecting said inner ends of the frame-ineinbers with the carrier-armsy and arranged to normally hold the t'orward end of the fender-frame clear of the road surface.

4. The combination with a car of carrier-arms aixed to the sills thereof, hollow pendent guides on the rear ends of the carrier-arms and made with vertical slots, a fenderframe comprising longitudinal members pivotally supported by thecarrier-arms, the rear ends of said frameinembers being inserted in said slots ot the pendent guides, and the forward end of the fender-frame projecting forward of the car, wheels on the front end of the fenderframe, a basket-like guard carried by said forward end, coil-springs in said pendent guides, above and below the inserted ends of said frame-members, whereby the vertical oscillation of the latter on their axis is restrained, and coil-springs connecting said inner ends of the frame-inembers with the carrierarms and arranged to normally hold the forward end of the fender-frame clear oi' the road surface, a series of axles transversely journaled in the front ends of the fender-frame, ball-bearings on the axle ends, tubular rollers supported at their ends on the ball-bear ings. a resilient friction covering forthe tubular rollers, and means restraining said rollers against rotation, otherwise than upward and inward.

5. The colnbination with a car of carrier-arms aihxed to the sills thereof, hollow pendent guides on the rear ends of the carrierarms and made with vertical slots, a fenderframe comprising longitudinal members pivotally supported by the carrier-arms, the rear ends o'f said frameinembers being inserted in said slots of the pendent guides, and the forward end of the fender-frame projectingl forward of the car, wheels on the front end of the fenderframe, a basket-like guard carried by said forward end, coil-springs in said pendent guides, above and below the inserted ends of said frame-members, whereby the vertical oscillation of the latter 'on their axis is-restrained, coilsprings connecting said inner ends of the frame-members with tho carrier-arms and arranged to normally hold the lorward end of the fender-frame clear of the road surface, a series of axles transversely journaled in the front end of the fonder-fraaie, ball-bearings on the axle ends, tubular rollers supported at their ends on the ball-bearings, a resilient friction covering for the tubular rollers, and means restraining` said rollers against rotation, otherwise than upward and inward, the forward frame section in which said rollers are journaled, being jointed to the main frame so that the former may be folded back out of the wav (i. 'lhe combination with a car of carrier-arms amxed to the sills thereof, hollow pendent guides on the rear ends of the carrier-arms and made with vertical slots, a fenderframe comprising longitudinal members pivotally supported by the carrier-arms, the rear ends of said framemembers being inserted in said slots of the pendent guides, and the forward end of the fender-frame projecting forward of the car,` wheels on the front end of the fenderframe, a basket-like guard carried by said forward end, coilsprings in said pendent guides, above and below the inserted ends of said frame-members, whereby the vertical oscillation of the latter on their axis is restrained, coilsprings connecting said inner ends of the frame-members with the carrier-arms and arranged to normally hold the forward end of the fender-frame clear of the road surface, a series of axles transversely journaled in the front end of the fender-frame, ball-bearings on the axle ends, tubularl rollers supported at their ends on the ball-bearings, a re! silient friction covering for the tubular rollers, and means restraining said rollers against rotation, otherwise than upward and inward, the forward frame section in which said rollers are journaled, being jointedto the main frame so that the former may be folded back out of the way; a vertical cushion-frame hinged to the main fender-frame rearward of said basket-like guard, telescoping spring-controlled rods arranged to normally hold the upper end of the cushion-frame away from the breast of the car, and

connections between said upper ends of the cushion-frame and the car.

T. The combination with a car of carrier-arms aixed to the sills thereof, hollow pendent guides on the rear ends of the cariiei-arms and made with vertical slots, a fenderfra'me comprising longitudinal members pivotally supported by the carrier-arms, the rear ends of said framemembers being inserted in said slots of the pendent guides, and the forward end of the fender-frame projecting forward of the car, wheels on the front end of the fenderframe, a basket-like guard carried by said forward end, coil-springs in said pendent guides, above and below the inserted ends of said frame-members, whereby the vertical oscillation of the latter on their axis is restrained, coilsprings connecting said inner ends of the frame-members with the carrier-arms and arranged to normally hold the forward end of the fender-frame clear of the road surface, a series of axles transversely journaled in the front end of the fender-frame, ball-bearings on the axle ends, tubular rollers supported at their ends on the ball-bearings, a resilient friction covering for the tubular rollers, and lneans restraining said rollers against rotation, otherwise than upward and inward, the forward frame-section in which said rollers are journaled, being jointed to the main frame so that the former may be folded back out of the way, a vertical cushion-frame hinged to the main fenderframe rearward of said basket-like guard, telescoping spring-controlled rods arranged to normally hold the upper end of the cushion-frame away from the breast of the car, said cushion-frame comprising a plurality of vertical bars` the upper ends of which are connected to each other and curved hack in the form of a bow, and adapted to impinge upon the breast of the car, and connections between the latter and such curved bar ends.

S. ,The combination with a car of carrier-arms axed to the'sills thereof, hollow pendent guides on the rear ends of the carrier-arms and made with vertical slots, a fender frame comprising longitudinal members pivotally supported by the carrier-arms, the rear ends of said framemembers heilig inserted in said slots of the pendent guides, and the forward end of the fendenframe projecting forward of the car, wheels on the front end of the fenderframe, a basket-like guard carried by said. forward end, coil-springs in said pendent guides, above and below the inserted ends of said frame-members, whereby the vertical oscillation of the latter on their axis is restrained, and coil-springs connectingsaid inner ends of the framemembers with the carrier-arms and arranged to normally hold the forward end of the fender-frame clear of the road surface, a series of axles transversely journaled in the front ends of the fender-frame, ball-bearings on the axle ends, tubular rollers supported at their ends on the ballbearings, a resilient friction covering for the tubular rollers, and means restraining said rollers against rotation, otherwise than upward and inward, a vertical cushionframe hinged to the main fender-frame rearward of the basket-like guard, said cushionframe comprising lower and upper sections, and the latter being removably supported by the lower section, and said cushion-frame further comprising a plurality of vertical bars, the upper ends of which are connected and curved back in the form of a bow and adapted to impinge upon the breast of the car, telescoping spring-controlled rods arranged to normally hold the cushion-frame away from the breast of the car, and' connections between the latter and said curved bar ends.

9. A car fender comprising a longitudinally pivoting frame, the front end of which is inclined, a series of axles transversely journaled in such front en'd, ball-bearings on the axle ends, tubular rollers supported at their ends upon the ballbearings, a resilient friction covering for the tubular rollers, means restraining said rollers against rota` tion, otherwise than upward and inward, means normally holding the front end of the fender above the road surface, but adapted to allow the same vertical movement upon impact, a basket-like guard rearward of the rollers, and wheels arranged to support the front end of the fender while holding a body.

l0. A car fender comprising a longitudinally pivoting frame, the front end of which is inclined, a series of axles transversely journaled in such front end, ball-bearings on the axle ends, tubular rollers supported at their ends upon the ball-bearings, a resilient friction covering for the tubular rollers, means restrainingl said rollers against rotation,-

otherwise than upward and inward, means normally holding the front end of the fender above the road surface, but adapted to allow the same vertical movement upon impact, a basket-like guard rearward of the rollers, and wheels made with conical exterior faces and convexed rims, arranged to support the front end of the fender-frame while holding a body.

11. The combination with a car of carrier-arms aflixed to the sills thereof, hollow pendent guides on the rear ends of the carrier-arnis and made with vertical slots, a fender frame comprising longitudinal members pivotally supported by the carrier-arms, the rear ends of said framemembers being inserted in said slots of the pendent guides, and the forward end of the fender-frame projecting forward of the car, wheels on the front-end of the fenderfranie arranged to support the same while holding a body, said wheels being made with conical exterior faces and convexed rims, whereby the same are adapted to climb over projections on the road surface, a basket-like guard carried by said forward end of the fender, coil-springs in said pendent guides, above and below the inserted ends of said frame-members, whereby the vertical oscillation of the latter on their axisis restrained, coil-springs connect ingl said inner ends of the frame-members with the carrierarms and arranged to normally hold the forward end of the fender-frame clear of the road surface, a series of axles transversely journaled in the front ends of the fenderframe, ball-bearings on the axle ends, tubular rollers supported at their ends on the ball-bearings, a resilient friction covering for the tubular rollers, means restraining said rollers against rotation, otherwise than upward and inward, a vertical cusliionframe hinged to the main tendenti-ame, rearward of the basket-like guard, said cushion-frame comprisingr lower and upper sections, and the latter being removably supported by the lower section, and said cushion-frame further comprising a plurality of vertical bars, the upper ends of which are connected and curved back in the form of a bow, thereby adapting the saine to impinge upon the breast of the car, telescoping spring-controlled rods arranged to normally hold the cushion-franie away from the breast of the car, connections between the latter and said curved bar ends, and Aside guards aiixed to the sides of the car and inclosing the rear section of the pivoting fender-frame and the supports therefor.

l2. The combination with a car of carrier-arms aiixed to the sills thereof, hollow pendent guides on the rear ends of the carrier-arms and inade with vertical slots, a transverse rod removably supported by the forward ends of the carrer-arn1s, a fender-frame comprising longitudinal members, pivoted on said rod of the carrier-arms, the rear ends of said frameanembers being inserted in said slots of the pendent guides, and the forward end ot' the fender-frame projecting forward of the car, a frame section jointed to the forward end of the main fender-frame and arranged to be folded back, means normally holding such jointed frame-scction in an linclined position, a series of axles transversely journaled in said jointed frame-section, ballbearings on the axle ends, tubular rollers supported at their ends upon the ball-bearings, a resilient friction covering for the tubular rollers, means restraining said rollers against rotation, otherwise than upward and inward, wheels on the front end of theA jointed section of the fender-frame, arranged to support the latter while holding a body, said wheels being made with conical exterior faces and convexed rims, whereby the same are adapted to climb over projections on the road surface, a basket-like guard carried by the forward end of the main fender-frame, coilsprings in said pendent guides, above and below the inserted ends of said frame-members, whereby the vertical oscillation of the latter on their axis is restrained, coilsprings connecting said inner ends of the frameanembers with the carrier-arms and arranged to normally hold the forward end of the fender-frame clear of the road surface, a vertical eushionframe hinged to said main fender-frame rearward of the basket-like guard, said cushion-frame conlprising lower and upper sections, the latter being removably supported by the former, and said cushion-frame further comprising a plurality of vertical bars made of resili ent material, the upper ends of which are connected and curved back in the foi-n1 of a bow, thereby adapting the saine to impinge upon the breast of the car, telescoping spring-controlled rods arranged to normally hold the cushion-frame away from the breast of the car, connections between the latter and said curved bar ends, and side guards aixed to the sides of the car and inclosing the rear section of the pivoting fender-frame and the supports therefor.

HENRY CLAY JORDAN.

Witnesses T, J. GEIsLnR, O. 11..ToRDAN. 

